Wondering what peoples opinions are here on what shotgun is the best value for the money? I'm talking a setup for more of an self defense, bad-guy-blaster approach. I think i'm more on board with a pump shotgun as well.

Or perhaps it would be better to ask what shotguns to avoid like the plague? Thanks for any input!

ynoty3k wrote:Best? Fat chance getting the same answer twice out of the same person!

Mossberg 500, Remington 870. Two really great shotguns.

Yeap, pretty sure those are the two answers you will get out of anyone if you're asking for an economical bad guy blaster pump shottie! It's not just a good bg blaster; I shoot trap and sporting all the time with the most basic model 870 and I do just as well as the guys with their fancy models. You can buy one used for about 200 bucks and it works like a charm.

I was going to recommend the SLP if you needed one for 3 gun.

Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity.
The shooter will always matter more than the gear ever will.
Stop relying on others to do the work for you.
Shoot more, worry less.

I recommend the Mossberg 590A1. The "A1" makes it the mil-spec shotgun with an all metal trigger group and thicker barrel. The 590A1 is the shotgun that survived the miltary torture test including being cooked, dropped, buried in mud, and having 10,000 rounds of 00 buck blasted through it.

I have a decked out 590A1 and would not trade it for any autoloader.

I have the 9 shot with 20" barrel. That length is also the only length with a bayonet stud, although I'm not sure how really useful that is. The bayo stud just has cool factor. I would recommend the ghost ring sights as well. The one I recommend is the model 50771.

You can get the model 51663 for less, but it isn't ported, does not have the picatinny rail, or include the bayonet. This is the one I have, but fully accessorized.

Then get a SureFire aluminum picatinny rail foregrip with a Streamlight TLR-2 (with pressure switch) and a Mesa Tactical low tube recoil reducing stock. I would also put a side swivel sling up front and finish it off with a Magpul MS2 sling.

Mossy 500 and Remmy 870. :thumb:
If you want a REALLY economical and yeah, I know...we picked it up at Wal-Mart...even though I truly HATE the place...we got my twin boys the Mossy Maverick a couple of years ago. I think its a club gun as I don't think I've seen them anywhere else BUT Wal-Mart.
Pretty inexpensive and a pretty nice little pump gun that works well on skeet/ducks. Seems to take a beating pretty well.

What are your thoughts on the Mossberg 500 Cruiser? Friend of mine has this one fore sale $475 : comes with regular style buttstock, a front end sling and side saddle as well.
I know it strays further into Tacticool territory with the heat shield and muzzle break, and folding stock but i think i could manage "somehow" to live with it

The benelli is a piece of work, very nice. Way out of my spending range though (im not allowed to spend that much on a gun since i got the ps90 :wall: ).

flyingirish04 wrote:870, look no further. Not a Mossberg fan at all. had two, they were both worthless.

Irish, any reason you're not a mossy fan? I read up some reviews and the majority ruling seems to be that 870 and the 500 are very comparable guns. 870s got a steel receiver whereas the 500s got an alloy one a trade of in durability for weight, but both have good dependability from peoples experiance. One review said that they preferred mossys because it allows for magazine extensions whereas the Remmis do not.

I'm gonna be getting that mossy up there but it's always good to go into a situation with as much intel as you can get. Plus it wouldn't hurt for future purchases to know what to keep a weather eye out for.

Mossbergs aren't worthless - they are just cheap. I have a 500A & it does the job but I've used better. It is also good for laughs - its a pistol grip & you get tacticool people that hold it in front of their face when firing. If they dropped an expensive gun like that then I'd have to use the gun on them but dropping the mossy is not big deal

Also, the barrel is prone to rusting. I've had to get it re-blued twice